Computer-use platforms / Hyperbeam alternative

Hyperbeam API alternative

Hyperbeam’s developer API embeds remotely streamed virtual computers with shared control in another application. The consumer Watch Party product is separate. Compare its multi-user streaming and browser profiles with the execution runtime needed for an agent’s own Linux tools and long-term files.

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Reviewed 2026-10-18 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When Hyperbeam fits

Hyperbeam fits applications where embedded audio/video, synchronized viewing and multiple participants controlling a remote environment are core features. It can be a UI or browser component rather than a direct substitute for an agent runtime.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 when the requirement is a persistent Linux environment for an agent, with retained installed software, configuration and growing RootFS. Multi-user streaming, browser media synchronization and participant controls require an application layer or a separate service.

Capabilities

Hyperbeam and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeHyperbeamAbsolute timeout defaults to null, but user-disconnect and inactivity settings have separate effects; no universal full-computer lifetime is established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0ttl and hard_ttl default to 0 (disabled). Configure idle pause and deletion policies for the same persistent sandbox identity; an idle running sandbox still accrues compute charges.Read documentation →
Persistent filesHyperbeamA browser-profile lifecycle is documented; a general-purpose durable Linux disk is not established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSHyperbeamSaved browser bookmarks/history/passwords/cookies do not establish whole writable Linux RootFS retention.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Persistence extends beyond /workspace to paths such as /usr/local, /etc, and /home. Runtime tmpfs and virtual filesystems are excluded.Read documentation →
Release compute, keep stateHyperbeamStreaming disconnect timeouts and saved profiles do not establish an arbitrary-machine checkpoint.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateHyperbeamArbitrary Linux process-memory capture/restore is not established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Experimental memory checkpoints can preserve compatible process state. Use memory: true on both pause and resume on a compatible deployment. A filesystem checkpoint alone does not preserve running processes.Read documentation →

Online RootFS growth

On growth-enabled images, Sandbox0 automatically expands the writable RootFS as free space runs low, within a configured sparse logical ceiling up to 64 TiB. Agent processes keep running. Growth is enabled in the qualified Cloud region; confirm activation for other regions. Existing images and snapshots retain their captured storage geometry. The ceiling is logical capacity, not preallocated host disk.

Hyperbeam’s browser profiles and participant-minute allowances do not establish online growth of a customer-controlled Linux RootFS. Sandbox0 retains system tools and accumulating agent files; embedded multi-user computer streaming is a separate capability to retain or implement.

Files while compute is paused

Sandbox0's Files API reads persistent files without resuming compute. Filesystem-only pauses also permit edits; retained-memory pauses are read-only and reject mutations with 409. SSH, SFTP, file watching, and runtime-only mounts require running compute.

Reopening a saved Hyperbeam browser profile is distinct from reading or modifying files in a paused Linux RootFS. The reviewed profile API does not establish that full filesystem interface; preserve necessary application artifacts separately.

See paused file operations →

A profile restores browser state, with an expiry policy

The profile API saves browser state such as bookmarks, history, passwords and cookies when enabled. The guide says the profile becomes ready when the session terminates, and saved profiles not accessed for three months expire. This is browser continuity, not a documented snapshot of arbitrary Linux processes or an entire operating-system installation.

Source 1 ↗

Offline, inactive and absolute timeouts have different triggers

Offline timeout counts time with no users connected and defaults to 3,600 seconds. Inactive timeout counts time since user input; absolute timeout caps the session’s age. The latter two default to null in the guide. Applications can reset inactivity with ping and update active-session settings, so a disconnected session is not necessarily already stopped.

Source 1 ↗

Participant minutes are not Linux compute minutes

The public API section advertises 10,000 free minutes monthly and shows $0.007 per additional participant-minute with volume discounts. The surrounding calculator uses participant counts and session length. Confirm the effective base-participant and volume treatment before forecasting a bill; a multi-viewer media session is not an equal-resource sandbox quote.

Source 1 ↗

Pricing

Compare billing models, then price your workload

CPU allocation, memory, billing minimums, disk, plan fees, and supported workload differ. These meters are not equal-performance machine quotes. Confirm region, resource units, and included allowances before estimating a total.

Hyperbeam

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-18

Published API free allowance
10,000 minutes/month
The calculator describes participant-minutes; confirm the allowance and participant treatment for the chosen offer.
Rate source ↗
Displayed additional participant rate
$0.007 per participant-minute
Public label says additional participant-minute, with automatic volume discounts; not a browser/VM-hour rate.
Rate source ↗
High-volume offer
Custom pricing available
Further high-volume discounts require account or contract terms.
Rate source ↗

The homepage distinguishes the developer Virtual Computer API from Watch Party. Do not use consumer watch-party comparisons or calculator placeholder totals as a production API quote. More participants, stream configuration and the effective volume schedule affect cost; no complete Linux compute-price equivalence or unlimited free execution follows from the displayed rate.

Check current Hyperbeam pricing ↗

Sandbox0

$0.015/GiB-hour compute (billed by the second at approximately $0.000004167/GiB-second), plus $0.02/GiB-month of retained incremental RootFS and memory checkpoint data. Shared base images and platform recovery retention are excluded; paused sandboxes accrue storage charges only.

Compute / GiB-hour
$0.015
Retained data / GiB-month
$0.02
Paused compute
$0.00

A 4 GiB agent, 100 running hours

$6.00 compute

4 GiB × 100 hours, billed by the second. Keeping 20 GiB of billable incremental data for a full billing month adds $0.40. CPU is derived from memory by the platform; choose a tier that fits your workload.

Understand storage billing →

Before migrating from Hyperbeam

  1. Identify developer API versus Watch Party usage, participant counts, streaming/control requirements, profile expiry and all configured timeouts.
  2. Move compatible agent logic and persistent Linux files to Sandbox0, retaining Hyperbeam or implementing the required streaming/participant layer explicitly.
  3. Test profile continuity, multi-user controls, disconnect cleanup, retained system packages, RootFS growth, paused files and the full participant/model/runtime budget.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in Hyperbeam replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. These products serve different core workflows, so a change may require a different architecture.

Does keeping files also keep a running agent?

Filesystem state and volatile process state are separate. Sandbox0 requires explicit compatible memory checkpoints to preserve running processes; its default filesystem resume starts fresh processes.

Sources and review scope

The Boat team's Battleships directory is the discovery source. References below describe the product and plan discussed on this page. Check current availability, regional terms and billing units before migrating. Where the cited material does not establish a capability or price, the comparison identifies that uncertainty.

Battleships research record ↗docs.hyperbeam.com/guides/persist-session-state ↗docs.hyperbeam.com/guides/timeouts ↗hyperbeam.com/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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